Visiting Chicago for the first time on a business trip, I had decided I wanted to try a Rick Bayless restaurant. I had watched him on PBS for years and his suggestions upped my guacamole game. I decided to go to Topolobampo because it sounded interesting. It's a fine dining concept located within his Frontera Grill restaurant. It's a tasting menu. The food was pretty. There were some dishes I liked more. Nothing was terrible. The quail was my least favorite. The service was overall very friendly and attentive without being obtrusive. My only ding was I felt the server was hard to understand. He had a deep voice, used a quiet voice and didn't enunciate. The restaurant itself was quiet. It was far from packed. They had some music on the in the background. Bottom line, would I go back? This is a one and done. It's pricey and will set you back $200+ as they already added in the gratuity, because you pay at the time of reservation. I would try Frontera Grill, his other restaurant. They don't get 5 stars because the food wasn't across the board delicious and the servers need to enunciate. read more

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I tried the Oaxaca tasting this time at this Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant. Everything was very nicely presented and thoughtfully composed, but overall it wasn't quite to my taste. The dishes leaned heavily on spice, salt, and rich condiments, which felt a bit overpowering for me. The wagyu beef itself was high quality and well cooked, but I couldn't really enjoy it with the sauces--they were too salty and dark in flavor. On the brighter side, the empanada among the appetizers was excellent, and the drinks were refreshing and well balanced. The service was outstanding from start to finish, and the space is small, cozy, and beautifully decorated, making for a very pleasant atmosphere. While the experience was refined and well executed, the flavor profile simply didn't align with my personal preferences. read more

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Came for the wine themed dinner focused on Baja. The staff were all fantastic and I especially appreciated the chef coming out to speak to us a few times. She said she recognized us, which if true, was a very impressive memory on her part. If not it was still very welcoming. Let's get into the food: the hits of the night were the broccoli and the rock fish. The lamb dish was not my favorite as the lamb was a little fatty for me. Their sweetbreads were probably the best I've had. Also their pastry chef needs a raise-- all of the desserts were spectacular and as someone who doesn't like chocolate my favorite of the night was the chocolate dish with the black sesame miso ice cream-- my husband was shocked. There were a couple of misses for me. The lamb as above and also the tuna dish which surprised me. Tuna is usually one of my favorite proteins, but I got multiple bites with some tough sinew that I could not chew and which were left on the plate. That dish just also ate very bland for me, I could not taste the lime or the chiltepin. Overall though we were very pleased with the food. Of note the timing can be a little long (two hours in we had only finished the second course!) so be sure to plan ahead. This is not a fast, in and out dinner! read more

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Loved my experience here! We got started with some complementary bites like the oysters, soup, rice Chicharon, and empanada. Loved all the other dishes!!! We had the Yucatan Earth smoke fire menu!!! I really enjoyed the quail savory dish the most, where we got the foie gras supplement. The meat was cooked so well and tender/juicy, and paired with the sauce and foie gras so well. We also had a crunchy complementary taco. Servers were super friendly! I also liked the ambiance and music. Flavors were homey but super clean and well executed. I got the premium perfect pairing and my gf got the non alcoholic pairing. We were full by the very end! They were also willing to accommodate us moving our reservation a day earlier, just 2 days in advanced which was nice! read more

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My wife and I dined at Topolobampo expecting the experience to match the Michelin pedigree plastered all over the walls and the $600 price tag. It did not. The most serious issue was hygiene. My wife's water glass arrived with what looked like a large smudge of makeup on it (photo attached). She flagged it to a server, who took it away and returned with a replacement except the replacement glass was covered in what appeared to be cotton fuzz, as if someone had tried to wipe the original smudge with a cloth and handed it back. There was also a visible hair on it (photo attached). Arguably, the second glass was worse than the first. Separately, a different server noticed mid-meal that my cocktail glass was cracked and proactively replaced my drink, which I appreciated though it did underscore that glassware QC was not happening before service. Pacing was the other problem. We had an 8:30 PM reservation in a dining room with plenty of open seats, and we were not out the door until after 11:00 PM and that was only after we asked them to speed up the remaining dessert courses. There is slow-and-intentional tasting-menu pacing, and then there is this, which felt like the kitchen and floor were out of sync. One of the servers kept serving us silverware for the wrong course and corrected themselves on two occasions as well. The food itself was decent, but the conceptual design of the menu was unclear, and one of the servers visibly struggled to explain several of the dishes, which is not a small thing at a restaurant where storytelling is supposed to be part of what you are paying for. At this price point and this level of recognition, the floor of acceptable is a clean glass and a server who can describe what is on the plate. We did not get either consistently. One star. read more

Topolobampo - "Replacement" water glass with what looks like cotton and hair on it? - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I made a reservation a few weeks in advance for 8:30pm on a Saturday night for three people for the taco tasting menu. I also got the agave pairing and my cousins got the wine pairing. We were brought into the restaurant relatively in time from the main waiting area that combines both Bayless restaurants. We were offered cocktails (looked very cool but expensive) but declined because we got the pairings. The amuse bouche that arrived in the bar area was amazing! Two oysters, a zucchini flour soup, pork cheek empanada, and Caesar salad crispy thing. Wow!! We were seated a little late. Service overall was good. The food was amazing!! I posted the normal menu. (One cousin is vegetarian and his was different.) I could not even begin to describe the courses. I will say the short rib was memorable. And, although the menu does not look like a lot of food, I was stuffed at the end. Amazing experience! read more

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The food was a major let down here. Several of the dishes weren't even edible. The grilled octopus was dry and rubbery, the hearts of palm was like chewing on a boot. The pork was way over salted. For the amount of money spent on this meal I almost feel I was robbed. Really wanted to like the restaurant as we were looking forward to going for a couple months. Out of the 6 or 7 Michelin star restaurants I've been to in Chicago, this was by far the biggest let down. The pacing was also slow, a hour and a half into dinner we still had 1-2 more plates to go which seems crazy considering it's only 6 plates. Honestly don't see how they would've gotten a star if the judge received the same food as me. The food was so bad I asked to skip the last dish as I couldn't stomach anymore. If you want amazing Mexican, go to Carino, skip topo. read more

I cannot recommend this place enough!! Dinner was truly an experience. Each moment and dish were beautifully thought out. The food was full of complex flavors and the quantity of the meal was perfect. Each dish was beautifully composed and the menu as a whole flowed together well. They also gave us a few goodies to take home which was also a beautiful touch! The staff was incredibly personable, friendly, organized and professional. The restaurant was gorgeous and intimate. I can't wait to go back. read more

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My husband and I usually go to The Capital Grill for our anniversary but wanted to try something different this year. Since we love Frontera we thought this might we worth trying for a special experience. Unfortunately, it didn't land for us. To focus on what did, the flavors were absolutely out of this world! The appetizer empanada and squash soup were amazing. I loved all the hand made tortillas that went with the tacos, and the chicharron dishes were outstanding. The servers were all impeccable. But the experience of the tasting menu dinner didn't flow properly. There would be LONG pauses between dishes. We spent like 20 minutes between dishes getting drunk while we waited for our next tiny bite which would be wolfed down within minutes only to wait another LONG period for the next. I think they could have cut one of the courses and instead put some tortilla chips with homemade salsas and guac on the tables in between. Incorporate that into the experience. I was starting to envy the bowls of chips and salsa we saw going down on the tables over at the Frontera side when we walked through. While the tasting menu format works very well for French, Japanese, even California farm-table cuisines, it doesn't seem as much of a fit for Mexican, Italian, or say Polish where the cuisine has more of a family vibe. I can see how they went with the street taco idea to try and incorporate the whole "small bite" thing. But even there, it's a bit off. Street food doesn't make sense in this fancy- schmancy format. I love shrimp tacos but I like the shrimp to be marinated in its own juices and the garlicky-tomatillo sauces that should come with. A hunk of fire roasted corn as a side would have been great. I've lived in the Chicago area all my life, grew up near the West Side where there is a large Mexican-American population. This means there are a plethora of authentic, family-owned Mexican restaurants that are absolutely delicious and 100% satisfying, and you definitely DON'T pay out the nose. Maybe that biased my experience here. I used to work in River North and haven't dined down there in a long time but one thing's still the same. River North can be an overrated, over-priced tourist trap and it's unfortunate to see this restaurant fit in with that. We still love Frontera, I would recommend that to anyone (and honestly wish we would have gone there). But Topolobampo was off for us. I think with some tweaks it could flow better. read more

This spot has been on my list for yearsss and my husband and I finally made reservations for our anniversary. The restaurant entrance is hidden inside of Frontera. It took us a little bit to find out where to enter the building. Surprisingly, the Frontera staff working the patio also did not know which door for us to enter so we ended up walking back and forth around the corner. Anyway, the ambiance of Topolo is warm and intimate. We had an enjoyable dinner. Our favorite courses were the dishes that incorporated seafood. I can't say any specific dish blew me away. A couple issues/feedback I'd comment on is that the egg yolk veil was a bit too salty and my duck was unfortunately chewy. Topolo is definitely a great place to celebrate and enjoy a special dinner. Is it my favorite tasting menu? No. But I'm glad I finally experienced it. read more

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Great experience. Elevated food offerings with a laid back atmosphere. Quiet and quaint with a kick. The servers were friendly and helped add to the experience with their explanations of the dishes. read more

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What a great experience. From start to finish, our server (and full staff) made us feel welcome, took care of us, and really told a story about every course on the menu. We tried the wine pairing and the spirit pairing, and maybe I would drink a little less if I tried it again (it's not an overwhelming amount of alcohol, but sitting and eating/drinking for three hours can take a toll...you start to find excuses to get up and walk around!), but I truly did enjoy the pairings, and felt educated about a lot of different mezcals that I might never have even found. Some of the courses were better than others, of course, but why pick nits? The opening--oysters, tortilla soup in a tiny cup, a cheese empanada--was just so fantastic that they really could do no wrong after that point. Glad we chose the restaurant; it's something we will likely talk about for years, and what more could you ask for? read more

7 moles tasting menu. Seven courses. With variety and optional pairings. Server, Hamilton, recommended the evening cocktail which we (6) ordered and loved. Servings came with an explanation of the dish and featured mole. Ranging from oysters to wagu tongue. White table cloth with attentive servers. Even visits from the chefs. Wine suggestion from sparkling Chardonnay to dry Riesling to Italian red all spot on. See their website for tasting menu descriptions. A special night with special friends at a special restaurant. Enjoy! read more

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One of the best meals had to date. There are two sections: one more casual where you can order from the menu and then a more private one with your personal waiter. We opted for the latter. All the food had great flavor. Our waiter provided explanations of the dish and ingredients. There were some fairly complex balanced flavours, with well paired textures. The wine and mezcal pairings were spot on. Couldn't have asked for a better evening! read more

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I have visited once and when I did the menu was Oaxacan themed. Truly unbelievable. I felt like I had been transported back to the last time I visited Puerto Escondido. The ingredients were so fresh and the flavors so delicious and authentic. This is a restaurant for a special occasion to have the tasting menu and it is very much worth it. read more

Loved Topolobampo! Warning: These are not traditional tacos, they are inspired in Mexican food. Having said that, and as a Mexican who lived 20+ years in Mexico City, this is great!! Loved all the food, the tortillas were handmade from corn, nopal, blue corn. Among the best I've had. Everything was delicious, the wine pairing was really good too. The service was nice and interesting, when we arrived they took us to a waiting area where they offer drinks, a few minutes later the table was ready and they took moved what we had to our table. The place was nice and upscale, a little on the louder side but very easy to have conversations. Totally recommend! read more

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Definitely worth checking out if you're looking for fine dining that isn't hella Eurocentric. I came during their anniversary menu of greatest hits and it was one of my better Michelin experiences. The staff was all Latinx, friendly, professional, and a little sassy. The space itself is intimate. The tasting comprised of LOT of food and they have a Mezcal pairing (which I ordered but girlllllllllll it is a lot of liquor). Tortillas were served with most of the main courses. 10/10 would go back. read more

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I haven't been here, but after wasting an hour on reservations that kept saying "mole this" and mole that, I called and found out that Topolo is a Prix Fix menu only. Thought others might like to know, as IMHO this fact ought to be listed front and center. I really did not like that. Reputed to be excellent food though. read more

We came in as a party or 8 for the art tasting menu, and absolutely loved it. The food was fantastic, the service was great. We had such a wonderful experience, would recommend 10 times over. From the moment we walked in, we felt welcome and instantly greeted with a quick appetizer and cocktail. Then we got seated, and never felt neglected or rushed . Overall a fabulous tasting experience. read more

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Love. Love. Love. If you know, you know. This meal made me emotional. Like being wrapped in a memory. The caldo tasted just like my Aunt Pina's, instantly transporting me back to childhood dinners surrounded by family, love, and warmth. This was elevated nostalgia, comforting, soulful, and perfectly paired with thoughtful wine and mezcal. Every bite felt intentional. No critiques, only gratitude. This is why Bayless continues to stand the test of time. Choosing passionate people like Chef Meagan O'Connor and a team who provides Impeccable service. A meal I'll always remember. What a way to celebrate the flavors and ingredients of Mexico and the midwest. Hats off! read more

Topolobampo - Cocktails - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing. One of the best meals of my life. Thank you to Rick and the fantastic Topolobampo staff. I'll start by saying I did not foot the bill and was not told its total, so I cannot comment on the high price. All of the staff that we dealt with or courteous, friendly, open and helpful. We were given a little history lesson, we asked questions, and we were answered thoroughly and with a smile and a little backstory. I believe we were served about nine courses, and we were so stuffed by the eighth that it was almost uncomfortable. I appreciate this because it irritates me to go to fine dining and come away hungry, which has happened to me handful of times. When my girlfriend and I go out to eat exceptional food, we focus on it as if we were watching an opera, we're not just talking about the weather and saying "oh the fish is so good." The majority of the dishes were interesting, well balanced, and executed very well. Things that should be crispy were perfectly crispy, ingredients complemented each other in their proportions and tartness, sweetness, acidity, etc. There were many sauces, which we both love, and each was different, rich, interesting, and delicious with maybe 1 exception that was on the bland side. We have eaten plenty of Mexican food in our day, but many of these dishes were new or unique takes on things we'd seen before. There are so many good restaurants in this town that I'll have to try many others before I go back, but I would love to go back - after saving up a bit! read more

I'm a Rick Bayless fan and have grown up watching his shows! A group of us came to Topolobampo for an early dinner, and we ordered: +the Guacamole, classic Frontera-style - prepared with mashed Michoacán avocados, cilantro, lime green chiles, and tomatoes, served with housemade tortilla chips +Carne Asada, Shortrib, Black Mole - wood-grilled Imperial Wagyu beef ribeye with a slow-cooked shortrib, served with an inky mole negro (made with chiluacle chiles and 28 other ingredients!), black trumpet, woodear, and maitake mushrooms, and a mezcal-infused radish; the mole was incredible - thick, creamy, super flavorful, and just complemented every aspect of the dish! +King Crab Fideos - 3 fideos (traditional vermicelli, rutabaga threads, and spaghetti squash) in a sauce of smoky morita chiles and sweet potatoes, king crab, and herbs I couldn't get over how much I loved the house mole sauce - you could literally slather it on an old shoe and it'd taste delicious! Everything came out piping out, and the service was on point. Garage parking or public transportation is best. +try their mole! +great service +make reservations! +limited parking read more

This was my 2nd visit to Topolobampo- though the visits were more than a decade apart- and I was even more pleased with my experience on this visit. Topo is now a smaller, more intimate, and pricier take on the original Topo experience as I remember it. However, the food, service, and ambiance are even better than I remember. When you enter the restaurant, you'll actually go into the Frontera entrance which is bustling and full of life. You'll then be whisked away to the smaller setting of Topo which is just through a door in the restaurant. The menu is prix fixe, with the opportunity to do a foie gras addition, wine pairings, or agave/wine pairings. All of these things you can order ahead, but they also have a lovely cocktail menu if that is more your speed. We had our first few bites in the lounge area while checking in with our server, and then were moved to our table. One of the fun surprises of the night was that Rick Bayless was actually in the restaurant eating! I'd guess there are about 12 tables in the restaurant, and the service was impeccable all night. Each dish was delicious. I'm not going to go into specific detail about the food, because the menu changes every 8-10 weeks or so, but each bite was so good. There were even a couple of surprise courses throughout the night at the beginning, middle, and end. I loved that we got to take home some little favors with concha and hot chocolate to go. Everything about this meal was incredible, and I hope to go back in the future to try other menus! read more

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We had a 6 PM reservation. When we entered, they took our coats and we waited around the waiting area. We thought it was odd that we were not seated immediately. We waited 15-20 minutes and then we were seated. From what we gathered, it appeared they didn't know we were there for Topolobampo or had us confused because when the hostess got us and passed her fellow coworkers, she mouthed that "it was them" so I'm sure there was confusion in seating us. Once we were seated in Topolobampo, they served us complimentary sparkling wine to apologize for the wait. Presentation was beautiful, great ambiance, the food was fine. Would try again with a different menu. It was a Oaxacan inspired meal with moles so it was nice that I was able to eat everything. With my peanut allergy, I'm usually not able to eat moles so this was a fun experience. The service was good and I would come back to try Tompolobampo again. read more

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My wife and I had our first Michelin star experience here. Loved the intimate seating, delicious cocktails, and the food was amazing both from a presentation factor and taste. The chef coming by to explain key dishes was a nice touch. Overall would recommend and will be back. read more

First time ever going to a Michelin star rated restaurant... and it exceeded our expectations in so many ways!! Six main courses and three surprise courses all inspired by Mexico City tacos! We were there to celebrate our engagement and many different staff members made sure to Congratulate us! We loved reading the menu and the decorations were cool. Everyone from the waiters, chefs, and hosts were so friendly and walked us through everything. Even the alcohol pairings (although a little expensive) were perfect. I usually do not like mezcal, but the food combinations made it very enjoyable. They accommodated my nut and seafood allergy very well while still giving a great experience. It was my first time having caviar too! The best way to summarize this review is that during the entire experience, at some point, both my Fiance and I cried after a first bite of an entree! She (family from Mexico) said it tasted like home. read more

Topolobampo - Fish/Crab Taco - Mexican Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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For $542 with one wine pairing and a foie gras upgrade, I really wanted to love it. I expected to love it. I salivate over the tortas at Frontera Grill. And yet, this birthday experience - the first one I was celebrating with a new beau was a little disheartening. Service was fantastic, I'll certainly give them that, but by the fourth course, we just weren't super impressed. Each dish seemed to worsen a bit as the night progressed. By the end, when we attempted to eat the compressed raspberry jelly cubes... well, we just couldn't. Wouldn't return for the price. There are many other tasting menus on my list, and I expect to be able to enjoy the overall taste of the dishes more than I did at Topo. Still not soured on Mr. Bayless, but overall was pretty underwhelmed/disappointed by this meal. read more

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What an awesome experience: the service was 3 Michelin star quality: Hamilton was engaging without being intrusive. The entire staff served dinner as a cohesive team. We had the mole tasting menu: the food was one set of great flavors after another. Paring with wine and agave (tequila/mescal) depending onto the course was delicious read more

This was probably the best Mexican food I have tried outside of Mexico and can highly recommend it. Hand-pressed tortillas, do I need to say more? I am usually not a fan of mole but Rick Bayless really perfected them and the different types of mole were unbelievably delicious. We tried the New Years Eve menu and we could not have had a better start into 2024! Often on a busy day like New Years, you get rushed through the menu but we did not have that feeling at Topolobampo. The service was excellent and the atmosphere with Mariachi playing was perfect! read more

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We wanted a very special carry out dinner to celebrate my husband's birthday. After looking at many options on Tock, we settled on Topolo At Home... the carry-out version of Rick Bayless's Topolobampo. We have eaten at Topolobampo and Frontera Grill many times, so we knew that the food would be good. We were not disappointed. Pick-up was easy at their location on Clark Street. Although the food was not ready at our 5:30 pick-up time and we had to wait 15 minutes. Not too bad, but they should be punctual for pick-up times. Everything was well packed and arranged with numbers for each course. A menu was provided that had a QR code link to a video with preparation and plating instructions by Rick Bayless... a very nice and welcome touch. Another link was provided for a Spotify "Groove with our Topolo Playlist" music selection to play during dinner... another nice touch! The food was wonderful! Standouts were the Savory Flan with Pear-Guajillo Chile Sauce, the Grilled Creekstone Ribeye Steak with 33-Ingredient Oaxacan Black Mole and the dessert course with White Chocolate Crepe Cake and other bite-sized, after-dinner Mignardise treats. The perfectly cooked ribeye and mole was worth the price of the entire dinner... SO tender and with great depth of flavor. The experience was a well-orchestrated array of flavorful, inventive Mexican cuisine. We made a special night of it. I am a vintage mid-century modern dinnerware collector. So our tablescape was set with Red Wing Fancy Free Desert dinnerware, other vintage dining accessories and agave and succulent plants to accent the wonderful Mexican food. Based on the excellent, high-quality food and thoughtful and inventive preparation video... what seems to be a high price is actually a relative bargain. Restaurants are struggling to survive during this difficult time. So please consider a carry out dinner from Topolo At Home. You will be delighted by the experience... just like us! read more

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One of the best tasting experience of my life. The new set up is gorgeous. The space flows beautifully. With a ceiling that flows I'd a sandy beach and the new waiting area offers a place to snack and decompress before your meal. The chef and staff are amazing and deann bayless is a gem. The details that is put into each dish is masterful. My two top plates was the suckling pig and the octopus. The detail in what they did w it's that simple tomato was amazing. The flavor if that tomato was amazing. And to use the skin dried was really nice. read more

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I ate here 2 weeks ago, and it has been difficult for me to decide how to rate. The food is excellent, masterfully prepared and presented. Like another customer mentioned in their review, however, the pacing felt very off. Between a couple of the courses we were waiting so long that we had to ask for the next course, and the overall meal took ~3 hr+ for a limited tasting menu. In addition, we were not the most impressed with the alcohol pairing, which was heavy on pours of different mezcals. In our opinion, difficult to drink so many pours of straight hard liquor. If you are dining here, the cocktails are sublime, so we would recommend the tasting menu paired with your own orders off the cocktail/ drink menu. All of this being said, I am sticking with a 5/5 because the food was excellent, cocktails also, and the service lives up to its status of a 1-star. The interior is a bit cramped and can be loud, but I overall very much enjoyed my experience and would love to dine here again. PS, my group of four all had different opinions of what our favorite course from the tasting was, which is a great thing in my opinion- means everything is great! Also, my boyfriend has dined here multiple times in the past and continues to believe this is the best Mexican restaurant in Chicago. At the end of the tasting, they also gave us hot cocoa mix (made in house) and a pastry for the next morning. Great touch. read more

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For a Michelin star, we expected a little more. We were sat down in the pre-dinner area where we were served drinks and our appetizers. There was a big delay in getting these after being sat down for our timed reservation. We are pretty sure they also served our appetizers to another party who came in after us because a server came by to ask us how our appetizers were when we hadn't received them yet. We felt like we were sitting in that area for ages. We shrugged it off though and enjoyed our dinner. The flavors were distinct, complex and exciting. There was a variety in textures that was preserved as many of the sauces were served table side. We loved the journey we went through. read more

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I had such a delightful time here! This was my first experience at Topolobampo and came with no expectations, just an open mind. The usual dining room was closed so we were actually led around the corner to an elevator that took us to the 2nd floor. Upon arriving, we were greeted by staff and directed to the Vista bar for cocktail hour. We had multiple beverages to choose from but I opted for the margarita. In the corner of the room, someone was prepping small plates on a food cart which was later served to us as our amuse bouche. The drinks and the delicious small bites of food really set the tone as to my expectations for the rest of the evening. After cocktail hour, we were shown the office and then led to the library where we were going to enjoy dinner. As a bibliophile, this was heaven! It combined both my loves: food and books! Without giving too much away, we enjoyed a total of 8 courses for the evening and to sum it up, it was deliciously fancy Mexican comfort food. The plating was beautiful but it also tasted amazing. There were combinations that I never thought about or could even imagine pairing together but they somehow made it work! My highlight was definitely when Chef Bayless came around and chatted with us. I don't normally get star struck but I did! It was such a treat and really completed my experience. This was very enjoyable and we wanted to do it again soon that we booked another reservation in 2 weeks with more friends! I'm excited! read more

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We had the art menu (sept 2023) with agave pairings. Very fun experience and we enjoyed the meal and drinks overall! I listed the dishes we had in order of preference below, but I'll also note that several dishes came with hand made tortillas, which were amazing AND their cocktails were also phenomenal. Oysters (5) Clams (5) Pork/eggplant dish (4.5) Trout/ kohlrabi (4) Fruit/nut dessert (4) Snack plate (4) Corn/mushroom dish (3) Chocolate dessert (3) read more

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This was an experience! The "Gifts Mexico Gave the World" tasting menu was amazing. Some of the highlights were the Olive Oil tamal. The flavor of the heirloom masa was absolutely delicious, and enhanced by the smokiness of the smoked green chile crema. The Ora King salmon was completely new to my husband and me, and we were blown away. This had the richness of a Chilean sea bass, and the flavor of salmon. The dish's pecans, browned butter, and garlic was a super flavorful accompaniment, without taking away from the salmon. Loved, loved, loved the Oaxacan black mole. So complex and a delight with the wagyu beef it was served with. This was really a perfect evening, especially as it started with a real fangirl moment. Rick Bayless greeted us. So thrilling! read more

I felt robbed at over 200 dollars per person (with a few cocktails) with a Michelin star (go somewhere else for this cost). I honestly expected a lot more. The cadence of the meal was extraordinarily slow (over 3 hours). There was a dead mosquito on my table cloth, and the table was wobbling although they made attempts to stuff paper under to stabilize it. The dishes were creative but didn't exactly justify the high cost as the ingredients didn't seem quite up to quality vs the costs of the same at other restaurants. Food: the food here was honestly decent. However, for the price point you're paying, i expected a lot more. A big problem was the kitchen had only 2 chefs and it was difficult for them to time each dish as they came out of the kitchen. With slow service, some of the dishes probably did not come out at the expected time (which for the price you're paying, you would expect) it look over 3 hours for our meal with less courses than some of the other Michelin restaurants that took 2. Service: The attention to detail is severely lacking. Compared to their peers in Chicago within the same many lower prices points, the wobbly tables and dead mosquitos on the table clothes are quite unacceptable. Although our server was attentive, we found ourselves looking to get water several times. Overall, not great. Atmosphere: the highlight, great atmosphere with thoughtful designs throughout the restaurant with cultural elements from Mexico. Very cool place to eat. read more

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Attention to detail, the history of the ingredients of the dishes where it originated was mind boggling. Food was beyond exquisite, some bites I didn't wanted to end. read more

My friend and I tried the Topolobampo 2.0 tasting menu. The price is pretty good compared to a lot of other tasting menus I have had! What stood out to me for this tasting menu compared to others I have had were the desserts. I loved them! Each dish was paired with a piece of artwork which inspired the dish. That was quite fun and I loved getting to compare the two! We opted for the foie gras add on, which I would recommend. I did think that there were a bit too many dishes accompanied with tortillas for my liking though. There were also a few surprise bites added in as well, which made the dinner playful and more delicious. The atmosphere was quite cool as this is in their test kitchen. You can see the staff plating the food in the mirror which is a very cool and unique experience. The space is quite small as well with only a few tables available, so it feels quite cozy and intimate. Rick Bayless also came out to greet everyone, which was a unique experience! read more

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I really enjoyed my time at Topolobampo. This place gets really packed really fast so making a reservation is extremely recommended. They do however require you to put your credit card info when you book your reservation. We came for lunch during restaurant week, although I wanted to order off their regular menu, ordering off the restaurant week menu was tempting, so we went for it. Their service was also spectacular. Super attentive through out our entire menu, very professional, but not snobby at all. Everyone truly made me feel like I was being served in my own house. Being lunch time, we weren't really in the mood for some alcoholic beverages and opted for their agua de Jamaica and freshly squeezed limonada. Both very good tasting refreshing drinks. The wife and I both chose their Sopa Azteca for our appetizers. Here at Topolo, it's all about the presentation. They brought a plate with chicken, avocado, cheese, and crema covered with a crispy tortilla. The server will then tell you to brake the tortilla in half so they can pour the pasilla broth into the bowl for you. The soup was very flavorful but was just a tad bit salty. My wife ordered their Chilaquiles Yucatecos and were very tasty. It had crispy tortillas mixed with their very flavorful roasted tomato habanero sauce topped with a fried egg and served with avocado and frisée salad. And I ordered their Carne Asada. A perfectly wood grilled ribeye served with probably the best Oaxacan black mole, and the best part of it all...they served it with homemade tortillas! The ribeye was very juicy, perfectly seasoned and very tender and made for some very delicious tacos. I would without hesitating l, order this dish again and again. I rarely order dessert, but you get one when you restaurant week menu. We both chose their cajeta brownie sundae. Wasnt really too excited about it at first, but once I dug in, Jesus Christ...the most amazing sundae I've ever had. We got two scoops of ice cream on top of this Mexican chocolate brownie, yes MEXICAN CHOCOLATE! Covered in cajeta with whipped cream and meringue. Such a complex dessert jam packed with so many sweet flavors that meshed up well together. Usually you get a very sweet dessert that's almost very hard to eat but not this Sundae. Just the perfect amount of sweetness. I'll definitely be returning to give their dinner tasting menus a try. read more

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